PM Sunak says sorry for leaving D-day 80 commemorations early for TV interview
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has apologised after skipping a major international ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day to carry out a general election TV interview.
"It was a mistake" not to stay in France, Mr Sunak said after he had attended the earlier British ceremony in Normandy.
The Prime Minister has come under criticism after it emerged he missed the event at Omaha Beach with fellow world leaders so he could head back to the UK for an ITV interview.
Mr Sunak said: "I care deeply about veterans and have been honoured to represent the UK at a number of events in Portsmouth and France over the past two days and to meet those who fought so bravely.
"After the conclusion of the British event in Normandy, I returned back to the UK.
"On reflection, it was a mistake not to stay in France longer – and I apologise."
However, one Normandy veteran accused Rishi Sunak of letting the country down by leaving the D-Day 80th anniversary events early.
Ken Hay, 98, who was captured as a prisoner of war just weeks after D-Day said: "I don't have a great regard for politicians."
He told Sky News: "He lets the country down.
"It's not the representation of how we're trying to weld things together to keep the peace."
The veteran suggested Mr Sunak had decided to "bail out, let them get on with it because 'I want to stand in the election, I want my seat back'".
The Prime Minister attended the UK national event at Portsmouth on Wednesday and then the British ceremony in Normandy on Thursday, the anniversary of the Allied landings on D-Day.
But he left France before world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, gathered for the main international ceremony in the afternoon.
Instead, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron was the senior UK minister at the event.
In his apology, Mr Sunak said: "The 80th anniversary of D-Day has been a profound moment to honour the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our values, our freedom and our democracy.
"This anniversary should be about those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. The last thing I want is for the commemorations to be overshadowed by politics."
Veterans' minister Johnny Mercer said he understood the "outrage" at the Prime Minister's actions.
"I get the outrage. It's a mistake. It's a significant mistake for which he's apologised," Mr Mercer told The Sun.
He suggested that Mr Sunak's team should take a share of the blame for their advice to him.
"Obviously it's a mistake," he siad.
"The PM on these visits receives a lot of advice on what he should and shouldn't be doing," he said.
Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, said Mr Sunak "will have to answer for his own actions" in leaving Normandy ahead of the international D-Day event but "for me there was nowhere else I was going to be".
He told reporters on a visit to a housing development in Brent Cross: "It was my duty to be there, it was my privilege to be there."
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said Mr Sunak's actions had brought "shame" to the office of Prime Minister "and let down our country".
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